Smyrna times., 1887-05-25
Domestic Education,

Every day as :he little maids and
misses, who are pupils at the public
school, pass our door, carrying over
their shoulder their jaunty schooi-bsgs.
wrought with tasty initials, and fairly
crammed with every imaginable kind.
size and description of text book on
poetry, logic and science, we wonder
whether their mothers at home are
taking the trouble, to give them those
still more important lesson in domestic
economy and the art of house keeping.
we need not expatiate upon this sub
JecC, as the extract which we make
upon this point from one of the letters
from Washington by B P. POore to the
american CuLtiUatOr, which has attrated
our attention, presents more graphic
picture upon the subject than we could
offer.
The writer, in his introduction to
the subject, remarks that "there is no
one question now requiring the serious
and earnest attention of all classes of a
community more than a true and prac-
tlcal knowledge of domestic economy.
A sharp writer has said, while the
Lord sends meat almost with the pro-
fusion of the quails that fed the Israe-
lltes, it must be that the devil sends
cooks The want of good, skillful and
reliable domestic help is a serious one,
and demands the considerations of the
best minds" He then says:
One OF the indispensables in educa-
ton OF girls, whether rich or poor, is a
thorough knowledge of housh0ld econ
omy. This embraces a wide field, It
IS scientific and practical knowledge
OF the culinary art, the preparation and
preservation of fruits and confections
the care of the sick, and the delicate
| attentions of the nursery. the ODera-
tiOns of the laundry, and skilful use
of the needle as we'll as the sewing
machine. To this should be added a
botanical and practical knowledge of
the care OF kitchen and flower garden.
There IS science in bread making. so
any daughter should know not only
the process but the chemistry Of bread.
There are skill and philosophy in cook
ing meat, so it should be thoroughly
known by every woman who expects
to stand at the head of a household.
either humble or magnificent. Butter
making can no longer be successfully
conducted by the mere drudge. Science
and mind must preside over the house
hold dairy. There are too many pre-
cious lives intrusted to the female head
OF family for them to be ignorant of
physiology and the best principles of
hygiene. The schools should be the
place where to learn to live, and this
includes the practical application of
science to health and happiness.
Wealth will not exempt anyone
from knowledge of domestic economy.
Household help is difficult problem
to solve, but it is a thousand times
more complicated when the wife and
mother is ignorant of those duties, and
consequently its direction and superin-
dence are impossible. Who does not
pity the young and loving wife, when
first assuming the duties of hOusekeep-
er, with uncertain and ignorant help in
the Kitchen, laundry or dairy? There
can be but few, if any, more trying or
perplexing situations. In this country
help cannot always be had, no matter
how flush the money. At other times
the cook is absent. Their indepen-
/ dence gives them insOlence, and in
many cases they will leave Just at an
important time in the affairs of the
household. Then, if the wife has not
been prepared for her situation in life.
her position is awkward and embar-
RAISING in the extreme. A daughter. no
matter how well educated or how in
dependent her circumstances. knows
not whether she is destined to be the
mistress of the household of a farmer.
artisan, merchant or professional man,
or whether she is to direct the affairs
OF plenty in Il splendid mansion, or to
suiier in an humble cot, away from the
busy haunts of commerce. In either
case she should be prepared for her sit
aatiOn, and thus be enabled to bring
cheertulness and prosperity to her
household.
" How often is it the case that the
house is left without domestic help.
and there is no resource left but to
rely on the wife? Such instances are
all around us, in town and on farms.
Again, how often are we compelled to
rely on raw hands who are totally
Ignorant of the duties of kitchen or
laundry, and if the wife is not capable
OF instructing and directing, how poor
mel pmeet woman must be who can
not, IN such an emergency, produce the
stan OF life, and that, too, of a quality
to make her husband prOuder of her
than any other part of her life. There
Is but little good bread in all the pri-
vate families of the country, for the
reason that but few have considered it
of sufficient Importance to study the
science of bread making. Girls 90 to
school and learn hard lessons in science
with neither ornament nor benefit, and
remain ignorant of the most important
part of their life's duties and position.
The Arabs grant divorce for ignorance
in bread-making. There is probably
as much misery and as many deaths
from bad bread as from war; and vet,
intelligent women boldly approach the
altar totally ignorant of the important
qualifications of the head of family,
of wife or mother. A lack of
knowledge of domestic economy in a
woman is serious defect, which no
amount of fculture in all other branches
of refinement can compensate. 1t is
honorable, refining and essential. 1t
saves from many mOrtifying scenes. Its
absence frequently causes trouble,
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